Balsam peru

About Balsam peru

Benzoin resin is a balsamic resin obtained from the bark of several species of trees in the genus Styrax. It is used in perfumes, some kinds of incense, as a flavoring and medicine . Commonly called "benzoin" is also called "benzoin resin" to distinguish it from the chemical compound benzoin.

Benzoin is also called gum benzoin or gum benjamin. But "gum" is incorrect as benzoin is not a polysaccharide. Its name came via the Italian from the Arabic luban jawi. Benzoin resin is also called styrax balsam or styrax resin, but wrongly since those resins are obtained from a different plant family, Hamamelidaceae. Benzoin was first reported in 1832 by Justus von Liebig and Friedrich Woehler during their research on oil of bitter almond which is benzaldehyde with traces of hydrocyanic acid.